We live in a wireless world. At home and in the workplace, we adore the convenience that wireless protections provide. The popularity of this approach was evident years ago. But this solution is even more desirable due to the past decade&#;s significant improvements in Wi-Fi technology. These developments have prompted faster and more reliable connections. We have the convenience to browse, stream, and download to our heart&#;s delight.
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Given the flexibility and convenience of modern Wi-Fi, it may seem unclear why anyone would opt for a wired connection. While it's true that Wi-Fi offers a myriad of benefits, it&#;s not yet free of downsides.
Security concerns, in particular, warrant consideration. This is particularly true for businesses that are prone to breaches. While a variety of tools and protocols are available for making Wi-Fi more secure, it remains highly vulnerable. It can easily become subject to interference from malicious parties. Thankfully, ethernet is an alternative offering superior security and performance in business settings.
Advantages of Ethernet for Your Business
Ethernet connections might not be as convenient as their wireless counterparts, but they have benefits. Benefits worth considering are outlined below:
Speed
Modern Wi-Fi may achieve lightning speeds that were unheard of just a few years ago, but ethernet retains a notable edge. Category 7 ethernet cables can support transfer speeds up to 10 Gigabytes per second (Gbps). The fastest widely available consumer Wi-Fi speeds pale in comparison.
With dozens or even hundreds of employees all sharing the same network, a reliable, blazing-fast connection is critical. Even the slightest delays may lead to downtime that can hamper productivity and cost your business in the process.
The cliché &#;time is money&#; is certainly true when it comes to office internet speeds. Wired connections make it easier and more efficient to send large files to companies and clients all around the world.
Latency
Raw bandwidth does not work alone to determine the quality or speed of a given connection. Latency is also critical. While impressive latency isn&#;t absolutely essential for most residential users, it is crucial in the workplace.
Imagine each work task on your office computer taking an extra millisecond to perform. Now, multiply that by several hundred, and you&#;ll be shocked by the amount of time wasted. The wireless nature of Wi-Fi means that latency will always exist in some form. But a wired ethernet connection&#;s latency is minuscule enough to render it practically unnoticeable.
Interference
No two offices look exactly alike. These inherent differences cause numerous interference issues for Wi-Fi networks. Building materials such as concrete and metal block signals from reaching certain parts of the office. Various wireless devices may wreak havoc on Wi-Fi signals. Satellite dishes and other electronics pump out signal interference. This hampers the effectiveness and speed of office internet connections.
While it may not be realistic to wire every room in an office for ethernet, it's a preferable alternative to a spotty, unreliable Wi-Fi signal. Communal areas such as cafeterias, break rooms, or office lobbies can get by just fine with exclusive Wi-Fi access. But individual offices, cubicle rows, and other workspaces should feature ethernet connections.
Security
Security represents one of the most notable benefits of ethernet over Wi-Fi. Wireless security can be strengthened through the use of strong encryption and firewalls. But it remains decidedly vulnerable. This is especially true in the age of the Internet of Things (IoT), in which wireless connections encourage the use of far more devices. While this improves convenience, each additional device presents yet another opportunity for infiltration.
With ethernet connections, physical access requirements ensure greater security. On a wireless connection, outside threats can attempt to access networks from anywhere key signals can be received. Gaining access to a physical ethernet connection is far more difficult for hackers or other malicious entities. Thieves looking to steal information are far more likely to attempt to do so via wireless networks. Obviously, this is much easier than physically breaking into a business or office.
Improve Your Connection with Expert Business IT Services
Are you currently on the hunt for effective business network solutions? Do you want to improve the speed, reliability, and security of your business network connection? The experts at NerdsToGoare happy to help. As a top IT company, NerdsToGo offers a range of commercial solutions, including full office ethernet and cabling services. Additionally, we&#;re pleased to provide custom business networks and business-managed IT solutions.
At NerdsToGo, we&#;re determined to help you make the most of your internet service provider (ISP) setup. In many cases, that involves taking full advantage of ethernet. Contact us today to learn more about the value of implementing a wired connection. Discover how your company can benefit from our expert business IT services.
Recommended Further Reading
In October , the European Court of Justice ruled that &#;s data protection agreement 'Safe Harbour' with the US was no longer valid. This means that American companies can no longer rely on self-certification when transferring data from the EU to the US; instead they must seek to strike 'model clauses' in each case to attain permission to transfer data outside of Europe. ExchangeWire asked industry leaders to weigh in.
ExchangeWire invited industry thought leaders to share their opinions on why the digital advertising industry should care about this change.
1. The unknown
I believe that the Safe Harbour suspension will be something to bear in mind for the next few months because even if we know a new deal is on its way to replace it, we don&#;t really know when, and in which terms, it will be signed (and the terms we know about seem equally strict); so, the other side of the pond keeps looking like a rather unsafe place to store your data. And since we can&#;t really tell whether this will be a one-off thing, or if it is something that might happen again in some other fashion, I believe this is the time for companies to play it safe and above all consciously.
Companies should never lose touch with their data the way it happened up until now. The big players kept us confident and looked like a viable solution, but other factors (as companies now acknowledge) have to be taken into consideration.
If there is a silver lining to this situation, this should be it: the suspension of Safe Harbour created an opportunity for people to become aware of the trouble of delegating the responsibility of data confidentiality and security to other parties; and we can now become more responsible and proactive about it.
The solution to this problem might encompass various options: from auditing your current provider to looking for new ones that are hosted locally or even in your own infrastructure. I suppose that first-party, on-site solutions will now be regarded as a much more reliable option, since this is the only choice that completely prevents situations like this.
Paulo Cunha
Co-Founder, CEO at ShiftForward
2. International data transfers are fundamental to the digital economy
International data transfers are fundamental to the digital economy where US-based suppliers look to target their services to, amongst others, EU-based customers.
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The recent invalidation of the USA&#;s Safe Harbour regime by the European Court of Justice (under which US companies can self-certify as providing adequate protection for transfers of personal data of EU citizens that they receive) and the uncertain legal framework around transatlantic data directly impact digital business revenue streams.
Transatlantic data sharing will not disappear, but it will become dependent on revised contractual frameworks and updated consumer permissions for processing. In turn, this means that transatlantic advertising deals will become more complicated and harder to fulfil; thus weakening the digital economy and even potentially limiting EU citizens&#; access to certain digital services.
Revenue generated from online advertising allows certain digital services to be provided for free to individuals, for example, online newspapers, social networks and services. Now those deals will be delayed, revised or potentially abandoned while US suppliers decide how their business operations need to be realigned to a post-Safe-Harbour reality. EU-located data centres restricting travel of EU citizens&#; data can provide a solution, in part.
However, those deals, like getting new data storing permissions from EU customers, will not happen overnight. In the interim, the very individuals the new EU stance on data transfers is intended to protect are those most likely to see a reduction in the services they can use, temporarily or for good &#; a contrary consumer outcome?
Nicola Fulford
Head of Data Protection and Privacy at Kemp Little
3. Fewer marketing technology vendor choices for EU operating companies
The latest ruling likely won&#;t affect Facebook, Google and other tech giants that have the legal and monetary resources to tackle any legislation that the EU throws at them. As with many legal barriers that are put in place, inevitably it will be SMEs that suffer. Smaller brands may find themselves put off by the bureaucracy or unable make changes quick enough to comply. The biggest impact will be fewer US martech companies that offer privacy-by-design that adheres to this new ruling, resulting in a smaller pool of available tech in Europe. For advertisers, this means fewer vendor options to choose from to suit their global business needs. For those who want to continue data-led marketing in Europe, it will be a case of waiting for existing vendors to catch-up, or reintegrating new tech and a potential compromise on services that may be available in the US, but not in the EU. Removing the competitive element that Safe Harbour allowed for will result in a lower quality that comes at a higher cost for advertisers."
Ian Woolley
General Manager EMEA, Ensighten
4. Advertisers need to prepare for change
With the EU privacy regulator set to update or replace the Safe Harbour ruling this year, it&#;s now more important than ever for digital marketers to take notice of what the ruling means for them. Today, digital marketers work with a huge number of third-party affiliates and partners, but there is very little understanding on where data is collected and stored by these companies. In the past, many service providers have not been forthcoming in explaining their server locations to customers, which could leave plenty of digital marketers in hot water and vulnerable to potential threat.
To avoid complications, digital marketers should start by addressing the following steps:
&#; Create a map of all personal data collected from customers or prospects and where this is being sent, stored and processed.
&#; Identify any personal data collected by you or any third parties affiliated with your business.
&#; Review existing contracts with service providers to ensure the EU Model Clauses are recognised, or other methods that allow you to legally transfer data from the EU to the US.
&#; If you don&#;t have an explicit agreement with your US-based service provider, the best alternative is probably to migrate to an EU-based service provider as soon as possible, to limit any risk exposure and legal liability.
It is also useful to recall that any data collected through a user&#;s interaction with , websites and apps can&#;t be used for marketing purposes without explicit consent.
Amir Jirbandey
UK Marketing Manager at Mailjet
5. The law applies to everyone
The digital advertising industry should acknowledge that the US Safe Harbour Program, the recently invalidated mechanism widely used to transfer personal data from the EU to the US, may have a real impact on the industry.
Many would anticipate that Safe Harbour doesn&#;t apply to them as they don&#;t collect and transfer personal data, however there has been an inexorable shift in the definition of personal data from the narrow to the broad. So, if what you're collecting can be somehow used to identify someone, then it&#;s safest to consider it personal data.
So, why should I worry if the Program has been invalidated? This is true, however the EU and US are negotiating a new form of the Program. These negotiations are currently ongoing and I am told there are two remaining issues, namely the EU citizen&#;s right to judicial redress and a limitation of US governmental access to personal data. While we are at a delicate moment in the negotiations, I am confident that the Safe Harbour Program will come back in a new form.
There is also the enforcement moratorium &#; issued by the WP 29, the powerful consortium of EU Data Protection Regulators &#; against companies relying upon the Program, and extends through to the end of this month and is about to expire. There is no guarantee it will be extended, and it only extends to enforcement not to investigations. I wouldn't be surprised if some regulators are actively looking for low hanging fruit to bring a case against as soon as they can. So, what&#;s the risk if you just do nothing?
There is always a calculation that has to be made, but always know that the digital advertising industry is already under intense scrutiny &#; so don&#;t be that low hanging fruit.
Todd Ruback
Chief Privacy Officer at Ghostery
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